The 1991, 2005, and 2006 ASCA Coach of the Year, an eight-time NCAA Coach of the Year and three-time United States Men's Olympic Team head coach, Reese has led the University of Texas to nine NCAA team titles. Along the way, Reese has developed more than 40 NCAA individual champions, 29 national champion relays, 185 All-Americans and 22 Olympians who have won 21 gold medals. In 1991, he earned the National Collegiate Scholar and Swimming Trophy from the College Swimming Coaches Association (CSCA). The trophy, which is the highest honor bestowed by the CSCA, recognizes a coach's overall contribution to the sport over an extended period of time and is reserved for an individual who has represented both collegiate athletics and swimming with honor and pride throughout his career. In November 1996, Reese was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor, which recognizes former athletes, coaches and staff members "who have brought honor and renown to The University of Texas." Reese was voted directly into the Hall of Honor as a special exception to the rule, which stipulates that a coach or staff member must be retired five years before consideration. He was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco on Feb. 12, 2002. Just the third member of the Hall of Fame to be voted in based on swimming credentials, Reese joined an impressive list of UT alumni who have been honored, including Darrell K Royal, Roger Clemens, Earl Campbell, Tom Kite and Cliff Gustafson. The Reese honor roll culminated in May 2002, when he was elected as an honor coach and inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Reese was inducted along with eight other honorees in the Class of 2002. Due to his wealth of international experience and the respect the swimming community has for him, Reese was selected in September of 2006 to coach the Team USA Men's Swimming and Diving Team at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Reese served his second stint as the U.S. Olympic coach at the 2004 Athens Games and served in the same capacity during the 1992 Barcelona Games. In addition to his head coaching duties, Reese worked as an assistant coach for the U.S. in three other Olympiads: 1988 (Seoul), 1996 (Atlanta) and 2000 (Sydney). He also served as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2007 FINA World Championships. Reese's ability to train his athletes technically has been a big part of his success, but his unique approach to swimming and training may be his best attribute. That combination is what makes Reese one of the world's finest coaches, regardless of sport. He possesses a thorough knowledge of swimming fundamentals, an eye for talent, a genuine care for his athletes and the ability to communicate and motivate. Reese's style is the staple of the Longhorns program. Always calm, unflappable, amiable and quick with a joke, he is a man who likes to work hard but doesn't see why hard work must be dull. The idea of finding enjoyment in the pursuit of one's maximum potential is the heart of Reese's coaching philosophy. "A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything," Reese said. "In swimming, there is no easy way. To succeed in any sport there are two keys - after the obvious needs of a certain amount of ability and hard work - and these keys are self-image and enjoyment. It's something you have to work on every day, day-in and day-out. Everybody knows how to work people hard. The key is to work them hard and protect the mind."
